You know the saying, “What you see is what you get?” That’s pretty much the case here: An e-bike or "pedal-assist" bike is a pedal bike with an integrated electric motor that adds power when you pedal. It's not like a motorcycle, moped, or motorbike, because it doesn't have a throttle or engine. Think of it like when you get the rocket boost in Mario Kart (except it lasts for more than three seconds).

Information about the company’s two co-founders is scant. Storm Sondors has left virtually no trail behind him on the Internet, save for a seldom-used YouTube account. Jon Hopp is a film editor working for a Los Angeles marketing firm. His Facebook account displays photos of two fat-tire bikes virtually identical to the Storm eBike, sporting logos from different manufacturers.

If you want it to, an e-bike can replace a car, which is better for good ol' Mother Earth. Weinart says many young professionals are now seeking a "car-free" or "car-lite" lifestyle. In fact, 65 percent of people said replacing car trips was the main reason for getting an e-bike, according to a recent report. Accessories, such as racks, baskets, fenders, and even cargo e-bikes (for toting groceries or kiddos) are all available to make commuting by bike easier and more comfortable.

One reason for doing so is the way it is powered, which works in a manner that would be familiar to someone accustomed to a manual transmission car. Like a car, you start in a low gear and work your way up as you gain speed. Since the motor runs through your transmission as opposed to applying power directly to the axle, the gear youâ€™re in really matters. The importance of gearing connects you much more to the road and the terrain, which means you are a more active rider than when using throttle-controlled electric bikes.

Riese & Muller’s Nevo line definitely tops my list for commuting electric bikes. These bikes are premium, custom made bikes for a reasonable, middle-of-the-road price. All Riese & Muller bikes are hand made in Germany exactly to your specifications. The Nevo line specifically is incredibly well balanced and keeps riders in a comfortable, upright position. Riders also get a suspension seatpost (either the Cane Creek Thudbuster or Satori Elegance LT), which is a nice compromise between the full suspension Homage line and a complete hardtail.
An electric bicycle, also known as an e-bike, powerbike or booster bike, is a bicycle with an integrated electric motor which can be used for propulsion. Many kinds of e-bikes are available worldwide, from e-bikes that only have a small motor to assist the rider's pedal-power (i.e., pedelecs) to somewhat more powerful e-bikes which tend closer to moped-style functionality: all, however, retain the ability to be pedalled by the rider and are therefore not electric motorcycles.
In the 1890s, electric bicycles were documented within various U.S. patents. For example, on 31 December 1895, Ogden Bolton Jr. was granted U.S. Patent 552,271 for a battery-powered bicycle with "6-pole brush-and-commutator direct current (DC) hub motor mounted in the rear wheel". There were no gears and the motor could draw up to 100 amperes (A) from a 10-volt battery.[5]
E-bikes are classed according to the power that their electric motor can deliver and the control system, i.e., when and how the power from the motor is applied. Also the classification of e-bikes is complicated as much of the definition is due to legal reasons of what constitutes a bicycle and what constitutes a moped or motorcycle. As such, the classification of these e-bikes varies greatly across countries and local jurisdictions.
This bike is named the GSD because with it you can Get Stuff Done. Twenty-inch wheels keep the center of gravity low so heavy payloads—it's rated up to 400lbs—are easy to balance and a short (for a cargo bike) 70-inch wheelbase, similar to a standard single bike, make the GSD easy to maneuver. Designed with the urban commuter in mind, the bike can easily break down to 60 percent of its original size to fit into the back of a car and the rear rack doubles as a stand that allows it to stand upright to minimize space inside tight apartments. Put two child seats on the back and take the family along, or drop the seat and let you kid take the bike out himself—anyone from 4'10" to 6'5" can ride this bike. Last but not least, the GSD gives you the option of adding a second battery to extend your range up to about 150 miles on a single charge.
The F1-trained engineers at William Advanced Engineering assisted with the electrical parts and the result is a 250W motor that provides pedal assistance via the front hub – which is a highly unusual approach – drawing power from a 300Wh battery pack that sits in a bag and goes on the front where the Brompton luggage rack would normally sit. You can also opt for a larger bag that holds both the battery and your spare suit or laptop or whatever.
We spent 45 hours on research, videography, and editing, to review the top choices for this wiki. With rechargeable battery-powered pedaling assistance, electric bicycles offer an increasingly viable alternative to fossil-fueled commuting, and e-bikes enable riders of various abilities to extend their range. But the street-legality of these hybrid machines remains a contentious issue, so be sure to check current state and local laws governing their operation before you hit the road. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to support our work. Skip to the best electric bike on Amazon.

The Focus comes with lots of extras: front and rear lights, bell, fenders, chain guard and rack. The Panasonic drive system that powers it is the same unit that was on the Kalkhoff bike that climbed to the top of the Pikes Peak bicycle race, one of only 3 types of bikes to survive this 8000 foot 20-mile climb in 2012. The Panasonic drive system is a well built piece of E-bike engineering which drives the bottom bracket and powers the rear wheel through the same drive chain as the rider. It is only available on OEM bikes which have been-purpose built using it. It stands as one of the most refined mid-drive systems ever built.

Torque sensors and power controls were developed in the late 1990s. For example, Takada Yutky of Japan filed a patent in 1997 for such a device. In 1992 Vector Services Limited offered and sold an e-bike dubbed Zike.[9] The bicycle included NiCd batteries that were built into a frame member and included an 850 g permanent-magnet motor. Despite the Zike, in 1992 hardly any commercial e-bikes were available.
Kalkhoff's electric-assist bicycles start with the same high-quality, sleekly designed bikes that Kalkhoff has been developing for 90 years. A state-of-the-art, brushless, centrally-located motor provides a smooth, predictable power-assist directly to the drive train. Kalkhoff e-bikes come fully-equipped with a variety of features to ensure that your commute, shopping trip, or outing is safe, comfortable and fun.
You turn it on by pressing the green button on the battery once for low power and twice for high, although to be honest, there is not a lot of difference between them. After that, you just pedal. There are no gears, no chain to muck up your trousers (a motorbike-style carbon fibre belt is used instead) and not that much difference in feeling compared to riding a normal bike.
The leading U.S. developer and distributor of electric bicycles and electric scooters, Currie Technologies offers a wide range of proprietary E-bike technologies across several bicycle designs. In order to meet the needs of its target market, Currie offers a wide variety of bicycle types with varying intended uses and at a variety of price points. With a Â“good, better, bestÂ” approach to E-bike marketing, Currie starts with its EZIP brand for opening priced bicycles which are primarily sold through mass market and web-based retailers. The IZIP brand is reserved for its mid- to high-end offerings, sold primarily through full service, specialty retailers.
“Yamaha’s power assist motors provide the purest, most natural assist feel thanks in part to Yamaha’s Triple Sensor System that has been exclusively optimized for Yamaha’s U.S. power assist bikes. Through the Triple Sensor System, thousands of times per second, frictionless sensors measure the rider’s pedal-torque, bicycle speed, and crank arm cadence with tremendous precision.”
And let’s not forget the economic advantages of owning an e-bike. The annual cost of running a new family car is, on average, about $9,000 per year. Running an electric bike costs around $400 per year. And while filling a gas tank costs around $30, recharging an electric bike battery costs only about 50 cents. A tank of gas may get you further, but not 60 times further!
Probably the most important thing to consider when researching the best electric touring bike for you is how far you need your bike to take you every day. Be realistic about this. If you purchase a lower end electric bike, don’t be surprised when it only takes you half as far as you want to go. Think about whether or not there are going to be opportunities to charge your battery in the middle of your daily riding. If not, it might be a good idea to buy an extra battery.

The bike recently took first place at the Interbike Hill Climb Challenge, a third of a mile sprint up a six per cent gradient hill. Fortune powered in front of professional riders to secure a decisive win in the first of an annual competition especially created for electric assist bikes. The race was sponsored by the Light Electric Vehicle Association (LEVA).

Riding position: You also may wish to check out an e-bike’s riding position before investing in it. For short trips, the riding position might not make much difference, but for long journeys, the upright "Dutch" style with pulled-back handlebars is very comfortable – particularly for tall riders. The same goes for mountain bike styles, though these bikes are not often designed to actually go off-road.

BATTERY POWER The Lithium-Ion Manganese battery power pack is lightweight, technologically advanced, and safe. EcoBike battery packs are UL and CE approved, exceeding safety and quality standards in the U.S. and E.U. EcoBike batteries are specially designed and manufactured for the EcoBike by a subsidiary of Lenovo / IBM ThinkPad. These batteries deliver the maximum consistent output and longevity. EcoBike batteries have been tested and proven, with over 100,000 units manufactured and a failure rate of less than 1%.

This bike is designed for hauling. The Yuba Spicy Curry has a combined capacity of 500lbs (200lbs on the front including rider, and 300lbs of passengers or cargo on the back). To help move this weight, you’d expect a decent motor, and the Bosch Performance Line CX delivers. Normally only found on mountain bikes, the 75Nm of torque makes light work of hills, even with the heavy load.

Because e-bikes are capable of greater speeds for longer periods of time than standard bikes, you want extra control. Wider tires provide traction and some bump absorption with little penalty. You also want strong brakes to slow you (and all that extra weight) easily. It's worth looking at the quality of the brakes and investing in bikes with better ones if you can.